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Snack relief
Eating walnuts linked to stress reduction .
By Emilie Lauer
Eating walnuts has proven to be effective in reducing academic stress , a new study by the University of South Australia says .
The study , published in Nutrients in October 2022 , suggests that consuming walnuts daily could promote overallwellbeing , counteract academic stress and improve sleep quality , particularly in women .
Co-lead author UniSA PhD candidate Mauritz Herselman said walnuts are ideal for students as they are an easy and natural ingredient to add to a diet .
“ Academia is generally quite a competitive environment and there ’ s always deadlines to meet , the pressure is constant ,” Herselman told Campus Review .
“ It ’ s great to see that there is a natural supplement available to support academic stress management .”
In their study , researchers analysed the link between academic stress and daily walnut consumption on wellbeing , general health markers , and gut microbiota .
The randomised trial , which was conducted on 80 undergraduate students , who ate 60g of walnuts daily for 16 weeks saw improved mental health and stress levels .
Comparatively , students who did not consume any nuts reported an increase in stress and depression in a lead-up to exams .
Herselman said the study ’ s results add to a growing body of research supporting the positive effects of eating walnuts .
Previous research on walnuts has shown that omega-3 fatty acids , antioxidants , melatonin , and vitamin E can help promote a healthy brain and gut .
“ We found that when students are stressed academically , their gut microbiota diversity decreases ,” Herselman said .
“ Eating walnuts prevented that decrease and subsequently reduced their stress levels .”
He noted that women in particular were more likely to experience benefits of eating walnuts .
“ It is interesting that walnuts are metabolised differently in males and females . More research is needed to fully understand how it impacts each gender ,” he said .
UniSA co-study author Associate Professor Larisa Bobrovskaya said academic stress has been linked to students overall academic achievement , their interpersonal relationships and general wellbeing .
Academic stress can have a heavy impact on all aspects of a students ’ life .
In Australia , a 2022 Studiosity report revealed that 74 per cent of students experience stress at least once a month or more , with over a third reporting negative feelings at least once a day .
“ Academic stress can have a heavy impact on all aspects of students ’ life leading to life and job dissatisfaction , poorer mental and physical health and increased risk of many diseases later in life ,” Bobrovskaya told Campus Review .
While the study focussed on undergraduate students , Bobrovskaya said walnuts might also be effective in reducing stress in academic and professional staff .
“ To prove this , we would need to run a separate study as it is a different population who have more life experiences and may be more resilient to daily stress ,” she said .
“ However , based on the results of our study it is expected that walnuts may have multiple health benefits including reducing stress consequences in academic and professional staff .” ■
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